Apparatus for impregnating timber.



S. WILLNER. APPARATUS FOR IMPREGNATING TIMBER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG, 8. 1910.

Patented Nov. 22, 1910.

sreuuun wnrnmu or. on' IcAoo, ILLINOIS.

Arrmarus .ron mrnnennrme 'rmisnn' Y p fls qn ofl-ettersPatent. Patented Nov. 22,1910.

Application filed August 8.1910 Serial No. 576,1

To all whom it may concemf Be it known that I, SIGMUNDWILLNER, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in A paratus for Impregnating Timber, of WhlCh the .following is a specification.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved form of apparatus for lnjecting chemlcals, coloring matter or other fluids into logs; to provide a device of this class which is particularly adapted for treating the logs under high pressures without straining the material of the logs; and to provide an improved construction for preventing spilling and waste of the chemicals during the process of treating the logs.

A specific form of apparatus for carrying out this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section, partly diagrammatic, of an apparatus designed according to this invention for injecting coloring matter, chemicals or other fluids into the sap channels of a log. Fig.2 is an end view showing the manner of mounting the removable head on the casing or cylinder. Fig. ,3 is a diagram representing in outline the transverse section of a tree, and the position of the heart'wood therein. 1 Fig. 4; is an end elevation of the head which is at the right of Fig. 1, the same being shown partly broken away to illustrate the construction of the flange to which said head is secured.

In the form shown in the drawings, the apparatus comprises a cylinder or casing 1,

preferably mounted with its axis horizontal upon suitable supports, not shown, and provided with relatively movable heads 2 and 3,

adapted to support a log 1 between them in the manner shown in Fig. 1.

' The head 2 is hinged at 5 to one end of the cylinderand is secured in liquid tight engagement therewith by means of a plurality of bolts 6. These are preferably hinged at 7 to lugs on the cylinder, and extend through radial slots in the head so that they may be thrown back out of the way without entirely removing the nuts from the bolts. The. head 3 is in the form of a piston slidably fitting within the cylinder and is provided with suitable packing rings 8 to form afluid-tight fit with the walls or the cylinder. The opposed faces of the heads 2 and 3 are provided with axially alined conical sockets or cavities which are each adapted to have fluid-tight fit with the periphery of the adjacent end of a log, regardless of the diameter of. the log when the'end of the log is trimmedsdthat it has a frusto-conical bearing surface 9 shaped to fit the conical surfaces of the heads 2 and 3. The ends of the 10 s are, of course, trlmmed so as to provide as arge an exposedv area as possible. at the end of the log, and at the same time insure a continuous bearing on the head around the entire peripheryof the lo I v filvhen. the log is in position as shown in Fig. 1, there will be a space 10 and 11 respectively between each head and the adjacent end of the log. A flexible pipe. 12 connects the space 10 in the head 2 with a 3-way valve fittin 13 which has branches leading respective y to a pressure pipe 14 and a suction pipe 15. A second pipe 16 is connected through a 3-way valve fitting 17 with the suction and pressure pipes 14 and 15, and communicates with the space 11 of the socket in the head 3, as will be hereinafter described. A pipe 18 connects the pressure pipe 14 with the cylinder at a point between the'heads 2 and 3. This controlled by a Valve 19. The cylin er has also connected thereto apair of valved pipes 20 and 21, for the pur ose of washing the interior of the cylinder 'y causing water or another liquid to circulate through it. The head 3 ismovable in the casin by means of a rod 22 which maybe move by any.suitable mechanism.

In theform shown, the rod 22 hasswiveled connection with the head 3 and extends through astufiin box in the part 23, which forms aclosure or the adjacent end of the c'asi 1. The outer part of the. rod 22 is threaded and extends through a yoke 24,

so that it may be rotated'for shifting the head 3. The part 23 is bolted to the casing by means of pivoted bolts 25, similar to those which secure the head or member 2.

The pipe 16 communicates with the space or chamber 26 between the head 3 and the part 23, and there is a passage 27 connecting the socket in the head 3 with the chamber 26.

The operation of the'device shown isas follows :--The head 2 is first swung'back out of the way on its hinge 5 so as to permit the log to be inserted into the casing. The head 2 is then closed and securely bolted and its end is squared or otherwise arranged in Fig. *1, it being understood that the ends" of the log have been previously trimmed to provide conical surfaces fitting the heads. Assuming that the apparatus is'to be usedfor injecting. colorin matter into the log,

the first step is'to orce through the sa channels of the log potassium -h droxi (KOH), potassium carbonate (30 2H O) or another suitable fluid chemical foriremoving the sap and resinous matter from the pores ofthe wood. This is done by manipulating the valves 13 and 17 so as to cause the fluid to flow from the pressure pipe 14. into the s ace 10 within the head 2, w ile the air or uid in the space 11 is exhausted by the suction pipe 15. In order to prevent the pressure of the liquid within the log from bursting the log, the valve 19 is opened to admit the fluid under ressure into the space around the log. As t e pressure in the space 11 is lower than that in the space 10, the fluid will be forced along the sap channels towardthe s ace 11 and will dissolve the dried sap an resinous matter and carry them with it. After this oper ation has continued for a suitable length of time, thevalve 13 is set so as to open communication between the pi 12 and the suction pipe 15, and the va ve 17 is set to connect the ipe 16 with the pressure pipe 14 and out 0 1.1380011116661011 with the suction pipe. This causes v,a flow of chemical through the log in the opposite direction.-

After the log has been treated by the sap removing chemical, the chemical contained in the various spaces in the cylinder and in the system of piping is drained off. The

' coloring matter isnow forced in liquid form 1 into the pressure pipe 14, and as the valve 19 is open, it flows into the space around the log, as well as into one of the heads. The color matter is forced into the log first in one irection, and then in the other in the same manner as has been hereinbefore described in connection with the chemicals. After the com letion of the operation of coloring the log, tl ie head 3 is drawn back so that the log is no longer held in liquidtight contact with the two heads; and all of the liquid is finally drained off. There is no waste of the liquid, as any of it which is confined in the spaces 10 and 11 would run down into the cylinder and be drained ofl.

. The log may then be washed by water passed into the cylinder through the pipe 20 and drawn off through the pipe 21.

To remove the log, the bolts 6 are loosened and the head 2 is swung back on its hin e so as to permit the log to be withdrawn rom the 0 en end of the cylinder.

Al ough but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shown and described, it will'be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted, within the scope of the following claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention. For example, it is obvious that the liquid'in the space aroundthe log need not necessarily be the same as that which is injected into the log, and under certain conditions it may be preferable to have 'a lower pressure in the space aroundthe log than at the injecting head.

I claim 1. A device for injecting fluids into'logs,

comprising a cylinder havlng a head at one end, a second head slidably mounted in said .cylinder and having a fluid-tight jointtherewith, means for forcin said movable head toward said first head or supportin a log between them, one of said heads aving therein a conical socket so formed as to have fluid-tight engagement around the edges of the adjacent end of the 10 when trimmed to conical form, and means or forcing a fluid into one of said heads through the log and withdrawing it at the other head.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a cylinder, a head rem'ovably mounted at one end of said cylinder, a movable head in the form of a plston fitting within and slidable alon said cylinder, pi es connected with said heads and adapte to permit a fluidto be forced into one of said heads and be withdrawn from the other, and means for equalizing the fluid pressure in said cylinder and one of said heads, said heads having therein op osed conical sockets adapted to have a wedzging fit around the outer edges of the ends of a log when trimmed to conical form.

. 3. A device of the class described, comprising a cylinder, a pair of heads mounted at opposite ends of said cylinder and adapted to en a e opposite ends of a log, one of said heads eing movable toward and away from the other, each .of said heads having therein a socket adapted to fit fluid-tightaround the periphery of the log and provide a fluid chamber within said head at the end of the lo a fluid pressure pipe, a suction pipe, in lvidual pi es connected with the sockets in said hea s and each having connection with said fluid pressure ipe and said suction pipe, valves contro ing said pipe connections and adapted to cause fluid to flow in either direction through the log a log between them, each of said heads havlng therein a conicalsocket formed to have V fluid-tight engagement aroundthe edges of the adjacent end of the log when trimmed to conical form, and means forforcing a fluid into one of said heads through the log and withdrawing it at the other head,'the concave surfaces of said sockets being extended so as to substantially meet the walls of the cylinder whereby a log in said cylinder will be lifted and centered in said sockets so as to be properly supported between the heads through the act of moving said movable head toward the. other.

5. A device for injecting fluids into logs, comprising a cylinder havmg a head at one end, a second head slidably mounted in said cylinder and having a fluid-tight joint therewith, a stationary part secured to said cylinder adjacent to said slidable head, means interposed between said stationary part and slidable head for forcing said heads together for supporting a log between them, one of said heads having therein a conical socket formed to have fluid-tight engagement around the edges of the adjacent end of the log when trimmed to conical form, and means for forcing a fluid into one of said heads through the log and withdrawing it at the other head. i

6. A device for injecting fluids into, logs, comprising a cylinder having a head at one end, a second head slidably mounted in said cylinder and having a fluid-tight joint therewith, a stationary part secured to said cyl-.

. inder adjacent to said slidable head, a

threaded shaft interposed between said stawith, a part secured to and forming a 010-- sure for the end of the cylinder adjacent to said slidable head, means acting between said movable head and said part for forcing said movable head toward said first head for supporting a log between them, said heads each'having therein a conical socket formed to have fluid-tight engagement around the edges of the adjacent end of the log when trimmed to conical form, and

said movable head having a passage connecting said socket with the space behind said movable head, suction and pressure pipes connected with said first head and the space behind said movable head, whereby fluid under pressure may be forced through the log in either direction.

Signed at Chicago this 4th day of August 1910.

SIGMUN D WILLNER.

Witnesses:

EUGENE A. RUMMLER, EDWIN PHELPS. 

